About Us

We present Advocacy for Animals as a source of information, a call to action, and a stimulus to thought regarding humanity’s relationship with nonhuman animals. We support worldwide efforts to ensure the humane treatment of animals, to develop scientific understanding of their nature, to promote their well-being, and to protect and restore the natural environment.

The views expressed on Advocacy for Animals by its editorial staff and contributors are not necessarily those of Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

32 Replies to “About Us”

Hi. This is FANTASTIC. As a teacher and journalist, I cannot tell you how invaluable your publication is; also as a human being who believes unequivocally in the rights of non-human animals. I am teaching a course for HSU and would like to use the article by Steve Wise and your site as as a link for my students. Do I need to send in a formal request? Thanks, Professor Rachel Campbell

This is about a new organisation to help the many stray cats in Greece.
It’s a Dutch organisation set up end of 2010 that has decided something has to be done now, in fact its about time.
This foundation organizes sterilisation campaigns in Greece.
We are in need of funds!
Look at the website: http://www.kattenhulpgriekenland.com
It’s also in English and you can donate here. (f.e. by Paypal)

This blog is not the Encyclopaedia Britannica. It is a clearly labeled as an animal-advocacy site within the Enyclopaedia Britannica brand. Advocacy for Animals and Encyclopaedia Britannnica, or Britannica Online, are distinct publications. The former is a blog, the second is an encyclopedia.

The two sites are editorially completely independent of each other, and they have different editorial philosophies. Britannica is scrupulously objective and neutral with respect to conflicting viewpoints among scholars and scientists and representatives of different political, ethical, and religious traditions. Advocacy, as the name suggests, is intended to advocate for animal welfare, animal rights, and the natural environment. No encyclopedia article in Britannica Online would ever “advocate” for anything.

I don’t believe that the posts in March and August 8 by the Administrator (presumably Brian Duignan in both cases) are at all consistent. Why should Professor Campbell credit Encyclopedia Britannica for use of the article when “the two sites are editorially completely independent of each other”? Please explain what appears to be a ludicrous pair of sentences.

No, it is not Brian Duignan in both cases; why would you presume that? “Administrator” means any and all of the staff members responsible for moderating comments. We agree on comment moderation policy, and any one of us can log in to the site as “Admin”–and often do. I’m not sure why you’re taking an adversarial position on this, but I’ll answer your question. As we’ve stated above, both sites are within the Encyclopaedia Britannica brand; i.e., they are owned by Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. The statement that EB should be credited is not some kind of legal exposition; it was an informally stated request for credit to be given to the original source. “Encyclopaedia Britannica’s Advocacy for Animals” or just “Advocacy for Animals” would have done as well.

What you’re asking about is explained above. We are employees of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., and editors of the encyclopaedia as well as of Advocacy for Animals. Not sure what you’re talking about in your second paragraph, though. Words aren’t tested on animals, so how could any of Britannica’s content have been discovered or tested with the use of animals?

I agree with your last sentence, which is why I am vegan and advocate for animals not to be killed for our use at all.To clarify, I think you CAN stick up for one cause without going vegan, and many people do. I just think it’s more exposition and discover the Advocacy for Animals.

Nice article! I like the sentence “We support worldwide efforts to ensure the humane treatment of animals, to develop scientific understanding of their nature, to promote their well-being, and to protect and restore the natural environment”. Thanks

I am surprised and delighted to see such an eminent institution, as Britannica remains, advocating on behalf on animals.

Bentham got it right. It doesn’t really matter what arguments you have, for or against the animal debate, it simply boils down to the biological fact that animals feels pain and that it is unnecessary for humans to eat or experiment on animals to thrive and survive.

Stephen, thank you for the vote of confidence. Usually when we get Britannica-related comments, they are of the opposite nature: “I am disappointed that Encyclopaedia Britannica is engaging in such questionable endeavors” (with the implication of unwarranted bias, and misuse of our platform, earned through our institutional reputation for scholarly and unbiased discourse). On these occasions, we always point out that Advocacy for Animals is not equivalent to the Encyclopaedia Britannica; we are part of the same company, but our Advocacy for Animals site is a separate voice from the encyclopedia content, which, of course, does not engage in advocacy for any particular point of view. And so I will do so on this occasion as well, for the record. We are happy that you support the Advocacy for Animals mission of speaking up for animals and their welfare.

Yes, of course, and you are correct in pointing this out as a matter of fairness. I am looking forward to regularly dipping into these pages as I do so as a matter of habit with the encyclopaedia. As I am on my soapbox now, may I take this opportunity to plug the peerless book, ‘Humans and Other Animals’ by Professor Rosalind Hursthouse of the University of Auckland (and formally at The Open University, UK). I read her text as an undergraduate philosophy student almost 9 years ago and have been a vegan and animal advocate ever since. I have moved increasingly towards a position of absolutism, seeing welfarism as a weapon of those who exploit animals: but that’s for another day! Best of luck.

Thank you for the book recommendation! I hadn’t heard of it. I invite your comments regarding welfarism vs. abolitionism (I assume you’re familiar with Gary Francione et al.) on any relevant articles you may find on our site. The members of the Advocacy editorial group maintain a variety of philosophical and practical stances personally, though what we publish here represents a wide range of topics. I think that welfarism is probably best represented here, but we do think about all aspects of the question of what is best for the animals of this world.

I am living in Turkey. I love animals. Especially in the streets crippled, injured animals, collecting in my house, my garden, trying to feed. Local Municipality has opened shelters for stray animals. but it is not enough. Humanity should be more sensitive to this issue. Magazinsel they will follow the lives of celebrities and high society, Britannica advocancy have a service to humanity to follow and contribute to the environment are found. Greetings

Hi, I have another question related to the comments I post, I recently kinda met another user of this website and we both are working on trying to raise more awareness on whats happening in Japan to the Dolphins and we both are trying to team up and stay in contact with eachother. Can a post and address (not my home address) but to a bussiness so we can write eachother?

We can’t facilitate peoples’ private endeavors because we don’t know any of the parties involved. It would not be proper for us to be the means of putting people in touch with each other offline and we can’t be responsible for anything that might occur afterward. There are probably Internet bulletin boards and communities where students can get together like this explicitly, websites that have staff available to facilitate it. I think Peta2 probably has an online youth community.

Animals and children have no voice,but we.I try to support with my voice and compession,I cant donate but when iI can I do.
We all are born free,& God created all creatures perfect.
I believe,one day the lion stand next to the lamp!
God bless u all***

I am in Scotland would it be Ok to let other people know about your good work you do for Animals.
I would love to hear from you on how you are helping Gods Creation.
God give you strength to carry on the great work
Bless You

I’m from Australia, and it seems that advocacy for animals is finally gaining ground here. Puppy farms are being publicised on the nightly news and more and more people are choosing not to eat animal products.

This is absolutely wonderful!!! Thank you all for taking the time to be heroes for non-human animals, and spreading the word about non-human animal advocacy. Thank you, too, for being courageous and steadfast in the face of scoffers, for the sake of non-human animals. Much love to you all (and to all the non-humans, too).

I don’t understand why “wealthy individuals” find big game hunting exciting as some upper class sport of some sort. This is absolutely barbaric and disgusting that this is happening. I was watching a show one day with my 3 year old showing him the animals telling him to tell me what kind of animal it was when all of a sudden the animal which was a elephant was shot and killed. I was appalled and angered by this display of gratification that shooter got from it. I didn’t know what to say to my son. I was very upset to say the least. The recent display of cruelty that lead me to this site was when a woman was standing next to a innocent giraffe she just killed I don’t understand again why is this so gratifying. This needs to stop this should not be allowed at all. These animals have no voice to express themselves the pain they feel, we have to be there voice and this must stop.

This is of as much importance as the threat of global climate change. I salute you in your effort to spread knowledge and advocate for animals. The measure of a human being’s humanity is expressed in the way they treat animals.